Field Guide for the Salish Sea

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Emily Lyons
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1 Sebastes nigrocinctus Tiger Caves and Crevices Sebastes caurinus Copper Rocky, protected areas Alaska USA to Baja Mexico Sebastes melanops Black Kelp forests to open water Alaska USA to S. California USA Abundant

2 Sebastes nigrocinctus Chordata, Actinopterygii, Scorpaeniformes, Scorpaenidae Sebastes serriceps, Sebastes rubrivinctus, Sebastes dalli Five dark bands on body. No bands on tail, whereas S. serriceps, S. rubrivinctus, and S. dalli have bands on tail. The Tiger rockfish is solitary and sometimes territorial. This species depends on the currents for food. Sebastes caurinus Sebastes dalli Two dark bands below eye towards pectoral fin. Yellow behind eye, whereas S. dalli has no yellow behind eye. Copper rockfish are opportunistic carnivores that feed mainly on benthic organisms. This species feeds during the day and night, and prey varies with the season. Sebastes melanops Sebastes mystinus Anal fin rounded. Knob on tip of lower jaw. Lower jaw extends to or past eye, whereas the jaw of S. mystinus extends only to mideye. Black rockfish gather in large schools and are aggressive feeders. This species is found on the bottom at night.

3 Sebastes miniatus Vermilioin Rocky reefs and large boulders Queen Charlott Is. to Baja Mexico Uncommon Sebastes flavidus Yellowtail Open water over reefs Sebastes emphaeus Puget Sound Rocky areas with caves and crevices

4 Sebastes miniatus Chordata, Actinopterygii, Scorpaeniformes, Scorpaenidae Sebastes pinniger Thin strip runs laterally from midbody to tail. Band below eye slopes toward pectoral fin. Dorsal, pectoral, anal and tail fins dark edged, whereas Sebastes pinniger s fins not dark edged. Vermillion rockfish adults are usually found below 70 ft. Sebastes flavidus Sebastes serranoides Pale spots below dorsal fin. One or two yellow streaks behind eye, whereas S. serranoides is without streaks. Yellowtail commonly swim in schools right below the kelp canopy. Sebastes emphaeus Mottled strip runs laterally from pectoral fin to base of tail. Thin, pale lateral line from gill cover to tail. Puget sound rockfish can live from depths of up to 360 meters. They can be commonly found in loose congregations.

5 Sebastes maliger Quillback Rocky reefs near areas of kelp Sebastes auriculatus Brown Hard, sandy bottoms near rocks Alaska USA to Baja Mexico Andy Murch Sebastes nebulosus China Rocky areas with caves and crevices

6 Sebastes maliger Chordata, Actinopterygii, Scorpaeniformes, Scorpaenidae High spinous dorsal fin. Blotches of white to yellow or orange in areas on and below dorsal fin. Quillback rockfish remain in the same area for years. They feed on schools of herring. Sebastes auriculatus Dark patch on gill cover behind eye. Brown rockfish females can produce between fifty-five thousand and three hundred thirty-nine thousand eggs per season and are released April to June. Sebastes nebulosus Yellow speckling on head and body. Nike swoosh from dorsal fin to tail. China rockfish only stay with a ten square meter territory. When confronted with an intruder this species erects its spines to look larger.

Andy Murch Sebastes ruberrimus Yelloweye Rocky

Bering Sea to Monteray Bay USA Rare wdfw.wa.

7 Andy Murch Sebastes ruberrimus Yelloweye Rocky reefs in protective recesses Alaska USA to Baja Mexico Kimberle Stark Sebastes proriger Redstripe Various bottoms near base of cliffs Bering Sea to Monteray Bay USA Rare wdfw.wa.gov Sebastes pinniger Canary Rocky reefs Alaska USA to Baja Mexico

8 Sebastes ruberrimus Chordata, Actinopterygii, Scorpaeniformes, Scorpaenidae Sebastes proriger Bright yellow iris. Spines located between eyesm and rough parallel ridges on nape, whereas S. proriger does not have spines or ridges. Yelloweye rockfish have very low resilience with a minimum population doubling time of fourteen years. The oldest of this species recorded is one hundred eighteen years old. Sebastes proriger Sebastes ruberrimus Pale stripe, bordered in dark red, runs laterally from gill cover to tail, whereas S. ruberrimus is without stripe. Redstripe rockfish are rarely found shallower that ninety feet. Little is known about the behavior of this deep water species. Sebastes pinniger White stripe laterally from gill cover to tail. Bands below eye sloping toward pectoral fin. Young Canary rockfish live in shallow water, moving to deeper water as they mature. Adults of this species are found at depths between eighty and two hundred meters.

9 Milton Love Sebastes entomelas Widow Offshore reefs, below 80 feet nmfs.noaa.gov Sebastes paucispinis Bocaccio Wide range, along bottom wdfw.wa.gov Sebastes mystinus Blue Kelp forests to open water Alaska USA to Baja Mexico

10 Sebastes entomelas Chordata, Actinopterygii, Scorpaeniformes, Scorpaenidae Dark membrane between pale rays of pectoral, ventral, and anal fins. Large pale spot on side of body above pectoral fin. The Widow rockfish female is capable of laying over one million eggs. Females generally grow larger than males. Sebastes paucispinis Sebastes brevispinis Large upturned mouth, upper jaw extends past eye. S. brevispinis upper jaw only extends to rear of eye. The Bocaccio larva are abundant in or near upwelling fronts. Sebastes mystinus Sebastes melanops Dark bands (2-4) curve around front of head. Rear edge of anal fin straight, whereas S. melanops anal fin is rounded. Blue rockfish gather in large schools and are aggressive feeders. This species is found on the bottom at night.

10/5/2015. lingcod Ophiodon elongatus OELO. blue rockfish Sebastes mystinus SMYS. blacksmith Chromis punctipinnis CPUN

10/5/2015. lingcod Ophiodon elongatus OELO. blue rockfish Sebastes mystinus SMYS. blacksmith Chromis punctipinnis CPUN Aids to identification Where s the Fish? Atwood 1. Humann, Paul. 1996. Coastal Fish Identifications: California to Alaska. First Edition. New World Publications, Jacksonville, FL. 2. Eschmeyer, W.N., E.S.